Warriors had to settle for two consolation bonus points as they went down to an agonising defeat in their final home Premiership Rugby Under-18 Academy League game of the season in a pulsating contest at Sixways.
Warriors were 21-7 ahead going into first-half injury time but Leicester hit back with a try on the stroke of half-time and then sealed the win with two tries from their livewire fly-half Morgan Meredith who contributed 20 points.
Warriors had opportunities to win the game and were camped close to Leicester’s line for the last five minutes but they were unable to find a way over for the try that would have given them the chance to share the spoils.
Defeat was hard on Warriors’ pack after a dominant first-half display that helped to produce three converted tries and it could easily have been more.
From the kick-off Warriors were awarded a penalty which they kicked to the corner, won the lineout and rumbled lock Harvey Cuckson over for the try which Jack Condliffe converted.
Alex Wills, a powerful left wing, caused problems for Leicester all afternoon and, after a couple of threatening runs, he went over for the second try when lock Will Chater stripped Leicester of possession in a maul, Cuckson drove through the middle and the overlap was created for Wills.
Leicester hit back with a try from blindside flanker Chester Owen, who barrelled his way out of two tackles, but Warriors’ lead was soon back to 14 points as loosehead prop Lewys Walsh rounded off a powerful attack from the forwards.
Against the run of play, Leicester scored right at the end of the first half when openside flanker Josh Manz went over and Meredith added a difficult conversion.
Leicester were level 12 minutes later as centre George Loose went through for another converted try but Meredith was then off target with a penalty attempt that would have given them the lead had the kick not drifted wide on a stiff breeze.
But Leicester did go ahead for the first time when Meredith scored the first of his chip-and-chase tries 14 minutes from time.
The lead lasted only four minutes as replacement back-row Sam Hawes went over from a series of lineouts and Condliffe maintained his 100 per cent kicking record by converting from the touchline to level the scored again.
Meredith’s second try seven minutes from time put Leicester back in front and although Warriors dominated the remainder of the match they were repeatedly frustrated by Leicester’s close quarters defence.
Warriors complete their Northern Conference programme against the Yorkshire Rugby Academy at Doncaster next Saturday.
- Warriors Under-17s were beaten 48-12 by their Leicester Tigers counterparts in the second match of the day at Sixways.
Warriors Under-18s | 15 Dan Chambers (Stourport HS and Wolverhampton), 14 Oli Smith (Hartpury College and Abergavenny), 13 Will Pugh (Stourport HS and Luctonians), 12 Archie Jones (Stourport HS and Bridgnorth), 11 Alex Wills (Hartpury College and Worcester), 10 Jack Condliffe (Stourport HS and Luctonians), 9 Alex Terry (King’s School and Worcester), 1 Lewys Walsh (Hartpury College and Aberdare), 2 Ethan Allen (Stourport HS and Telford Hornets), 3 Aaron Hackett (Stourport HS and Stourbridge), 4 Will Chater (King’s Worcester and Worcester), 5 Harvey Cuckson (Ellesmere College and Mold) 6 Will Owen (Ellesmere College and Whitchurch), 7 Owen Boxall (Bishop Vesey’s GS and Lichfield), 8 Theo Mayell (Monmouth School and Monmouth – captain).
Replacements | 16 Loic Keasey (RGS Worcester and Worcester), 17 Ellis Locke (Stourport HS and Ledbury), 18 Finn Haynes (Stourport HS and Stourbridge), 19 George Boyle (King’s School and Worcester), 20 Sam Hawes (King’s School and Ledbury), 21 Billy McDonough (Bromsgrove School), 22 Matt Smith (Stourport HS and Claverdon), 23 Jacob Clarke (Bishop Vesey’s GS and Lichfield).
Timeline
3m | Cuckson try 5-0
4m | Condliffe con 7-0
21m | Wills try 12-0
22m | Condliffe con 14-0
26m | Owen try 14-5
27m | Meredith con 14-7
32m | Walsh try 19-7
33m | Condliffe con 21-7
35m | Manz try 21-12
35m | Meredith con 21-14
47m | Loose try 21-19
48m | Meredith con 21-21
56m | Meredith try 21-26
57m | Meredith con 21-28
60m | Hawes try 26-28
61m | Condliffe con 28-28
63m | Meredith try 28-33
64m | Meredith con 28-35